So the House refused to lay the bill and amendments on the table. The question then recurring on the demand for the previous question, it was seconded and the main question ordered and put, First, Will the House agree to the said amendment to the amendment? Yeas.. And it was decided in the affirmative, {Nays. The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, So the amendment to the amendment was agreed to. 112 18 Mr. Lewis W. Ross Mr. John W. Longyear Under the further operation of the previous question the amendment as amended was agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time. Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time. Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered and put, viz: Shall the bill pass? Yeas And it was decided in the affirmative,{ Nays. The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are— Mr. James C. Allen John B. Alley Jacob B. Blair Henry T. Blow Mr. Alexander H. Coffroth Mr. Josiah B. Grinnell James A. Cravens Henry W. Harrington 96 41 Mr. James M. Marvin Moses F. Odell Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the said bill. Mr. Beaman moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the bill of the House (H. R. 15) to provide a temporary government for the Territory of Montana was recommitted to the Committee on the Territories. The said motion was passed over for the present. The Speaker having announced as the business next in order the bill of the Senate (S. 36) to amend an act entitled "An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1863, heretofore reported from the Committee on Military Affairs with an amendment, the pending question being on the motion of Mr. Schenck to commit the same to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and which was postponed until 2 o'clock p. m. this day, The House proceeded to its consideration. Pending the question on the motion to commit, On motion of Mr. Stevens, by unanimous consent, the further consideration of the pending special order in Committee of the Whole, viz: H. R. 117. A bill to reimburse the State of Pennsylvania for expenses in calling out the militia of said State during the recent invasion, was postponed until after the bill of the Senate No. 36 is disposed of. And then, On motion of Mr. Schenck, by unanimous consent, the said bill of the Senate (No 36) was committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and made a special order for this day, and from day to day thereafter until disposed of. On motion of Mr. Schenck, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Dawes reported that the committee, having had under consideration the special order, viz: S. 36. An act to amend "An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1863, had come to no resolution thereon. And then, On motion of Mr. Francis W. Kellogg, at 4 o'clock and 18 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1864. The following memorials, petitions, and other papers, were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the 131st rule of the House: By Mr. Ganson: Two memorials from citizens of the State of New York, praying the construction of a direct railway from Washington to New York city; which were referred to the select committee on that subject. By Mr. Wadsworth: The memorial of citizens of the State of Kentucky, praying that loyal citizens may be paid for property taken or destroyed by the army; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Boutwell: The memorial of citizens of the State of Massachusetts, remonstrating against the amnesty proclamation of the President; which was referred to the select committee on the rebellious States. By Mr. Garfield: The memorial of loyal women of the State of Ohio, praying an act of universal emancipation; which was referred to the select committee on the rebellious States. By Mr. William G. Steele: The petition of J. Warren & Son, praying relief; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Loan: The petition of J. M. Sullivan, praying a pension for wounds received in the United States military service; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On motion of Mr. Francis W. Kellogg, by unanimous consent, Ordered, That the number of members of the select committee authorized to be appointed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a national armory at some point west of the Alleghany mountains be increased from seven to nine. Mr. Morrill, by unanimous consent, presented joint resolutions of the legislature of the State of Vermont, as follows, viz: I. Approving the plan for ship navigation from the Mississippi river to the lakes. II. In regard to the transmission through the mails of packages to soldiers at the same rates as now required for the transmission of books. III. In favor of the passage of a law which shall secure equal pay to all soldiers now or hereafter mustered into the service of the United States. Ordered, That the said joint resolutions be laid on the table and printed. On motion of Mr. Fenton, by unanimous consent, the bill of the Senate (S. 66) to increase the compensation of inspectors of customs in certain ports was taken from the Speaker's table, read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. Fenton, by unanimous consent, submitted a resolution which he subsequently modified to read as follows, and which was considered and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be directed to inform this house whether the supplies for that department during the past fiscal year were purchased upon contract, as required by law, and if not, what proportion thereof, and of what kinds, were purchased in open market; that he also inform the House whether purchases were made in any of the bureaus of his department without advertising for proposals, and whether by other officers than the navy agents, and by what authority purchases were so made, and of what articles; and that he also inform the House of the prac tice of asking proposals for supplies in classes, giving the contract to the lowest average bids for a class of articles, oftentimes to the great pecuniary disadvantage of the government, inasmuch as the price may be low on cer tain articles when few are required, and high on others of which large quantities are required; and whether the practice of inviting proposals and awarding bids in this manner is required by law; and that he also inform the House whether any, and if so, what, alterations in the laws relating to the purchase of naval supplies are, in his opinion, necessary. Mr. Stevens, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill (H. R. 198) making appropriations for the support of the army for the year ending the 30th of June, 1865; which was read a first and second time, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, made a special order for Tuesday next, the 9th instant, and from day to day thereafter until disposed of, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Alexander H. Rice, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Printing, viz: Resolved, That there be printed twenty-five hundred extra copies of the Navy Register for the year 1864, for the use of the members of this house. Mr. Hale, by unanimous consent, from the Committee of Claims, to whom it was referred to inquire into the causes of the delay in the payment of bounties, &c., of soldiers, reported a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, and other papers; which were laid on the table and ordered to be printed. Mr. Deming, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be, and they are hereby, required to inquire, and report by bill or otherwise, whether the condition of the country imposes any difficulties in the way of such an organization of the electoral college as will enable it to legally and constitutionally elect a President of the United States for the term commencing the 4th day of March, 1865; and whether, if such difficulties exist, they can be remedied by any legislation of Congress. Mr Freeman Clarke, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That in order to secure, beyond a contingency, the permanent payment of interest on the public debt in coin, and prevent an undue increase of debt, and restrict within proper limits the aggregate paper circulation of the country, the Committee of Ways and Means are hereby instructed to inquire into the expediency of increasing the duties on foreign imports, upon articles of luxury, of a class, as far as practicable, not manufactured in this country, so as, in their opinion, to produce a revenue of one hundred and twenty millions of dollars per annum; also, into the expediency of increasing the internal revenue tax upon articles of luxury, and upon such articles of domestic manufacture as come in competition with foreign articles upon which the import duties are advanced, so as, in the opinion of the committee, to produce an annual revenue of two hundred and thirty millions of dollars; also, into the expediency of restricting the bank circulation of the country, State and national, to three hundred millions of dollars; also, into the expediency of authorizing the issue of bonds to the amount of two hundred millions of dollars, the whole or any portion thereof to be disposed of at the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury, when, in his judgment, he may deem it expedient and proper to use the proceeds for the redemption of government legal-tender notes, and report at an early day by bills or otherwise. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Forney, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed joint resolutions of the following titles, viz: S. Res. 11 Joint resolution of thanks to Major General George A. Thomas and the officers and men who fought under his command at the battle of Chickamauga; and S. Res. 19. Joint resolution of thanks of Congress to Commodore Cadwalader Ringgold, the officers and crew of the United States ship “Sabine;" in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this house. The President of the United States has notified the Senate that he did, on the 28th ultimo, approve and sign joint resolutions and a bill of the following titles, viz: S. Res. 14. Joint resolution presenting the thanks of Congress to Cornelius Vanderbilt for a gift of the steamer Vanderbilt ; S. Res. 3. Joint resolution expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Joseph Hooker, Major General George G. Meade, Major General Oliver O. Howard, and the officers and soldiers of the army of the Potomac ; S. Res. 5. Joint resolution of thanks to Major General Ambrose E. Burnside and the officers and men who fought under his command; S. Res. 2. Joint resolution expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Nathaniel P. Banks and the officers and soldiers under his command at Port Hudson; and S. 49. An act relating to the admission of patients to the hospital for the insane in the District of Columbia. Mr. Hale, by unanimous consent, from the Committee of Claims, reported a bill (H. R. 199) to facilitate the payment of bounties and arrears of pay due for the service of wounded and deceased soldiers; which was read a first and second time. Pending the question on its engrossment, After debate, Mr. Hale moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time. Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time and passed. Mr. Hale moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the said bill. Mr. Hotchkiss gave notice, under the rule, of his intention to move for leave to introduce a bill granting lands to aid in constructing the "Lake Superior railroad," and providing for the use of the same by the United States free of charge. The House having resumed, as the regular order of business, the consideration of the joint resolution (H. Res. 18) to amend a joint resolution explanatory of "An act to suppress insurrection, to punish treason and rebellion, to seize and confiscate the property of rebels, and for other pur poses," approved July 17, 1862-heretofore reported from the Committee on the Judiciary, After debate, and pending the question on the motion of Mr. Wilson to recommit the same to the Committee on the Judiciary, On motion of Mr. Schenck, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Dawes reported that the committee, having had under consideration the special order, viz: S. 36. An act to amend "An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1863, had come to no resolution thereon. Mr. Jayne gave notice, under the rule, of his intention to move for leave |